by SYAQILLE ZUHAIR BIN SALLEH SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING The first session had the new members visiting checkpoints placed throughout the campus and indirectly had them explore the campus as majority of them are from the first semester. At each of the checkpoints, they scanned QR codes that contained a google form with each google form having a different set of questions and clues that they had to answer to receive the next location of the other QR codes. The new members had a blast answering the questions with some of the questions involving them interacting with one another which led to a more fun ice-breaking session between them. After visiting all locations, everyone gathered at the campus café to have dinner and a get to know me session between themselves and the accompanying seniors. In order to get to know the new EXCO members and create a bond among them, the English Language Club held an internal club activity called Club Walk on 4 November 2022 and 17 December 2022. The purpose of this activity was to have the new club members be involved in self-enriching activities so that they can get used to working as a team in a club and adapt to the harrowing life of becoming a university student. CLUB WALK - TOUR AROUND THE CAMPUS The second session was on 17 December and we had a more personal session with the new members sharing their ideas on what club activities could be done for the next semester. Even though the attendance was lower than the previous session due to some members had other personal commitments, there were many great ideas brought up and the participants were encouraged to have a discussion session among themselves and the senior members and club advisor Mr. Noor Azli Affendy Lee. Overall, it was good to see them having the initiative and synergy to be able to discuss club matters in respectful and mature manners despite being new to the club. APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 48 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1
Connecting students and counsellors By Muhamad Irfan bin Ahmad Suhkri School of Electrical Engineering This semester from 1st November 2022 to 31st January 2023, I led a program named ‘Anonymous Outreach!’ under the English Language Club, in collaboration with the Counselling and Career Unit. The program aimed to help UiTM Pulau Pinang students connect with certified counsellors and receive support for their mental health issues. Additionally, the program aimed to combat the stigma surrounding mental health in the community. This stigma often perpetuates inaccurate stereotypes such as viewing individuals with mental issues as 'dangerous' or 'crazy'. https://www.instagram.com/p/Clnz4 mTJ5Vz/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= After some research on mental health issues, I discovered that students often only seek the help of counsellors when they have already reached the last stage of their conditions. To make things worse, some students do not seek help at all, which exacerbates the situation. Moreover, I learned that students tend to feel more comfortable speaking with counsellors after having an initial meeting with them anonymously. APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 49 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 50 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 To address this issue, I came up with an idea to create a program that connects students with counsellors and encourages them to seek help comfortably. While there is already a service called 'Call the Counselors' that provides such a service, I personally wouldn't use it as it reveals my private phone number. Hence, I wanted to design a platform using Gather that allows students to remain anonymous while receiving support from the counsellors, with moderation in place to ensure a safe and secure environment. As a result, this program operates almost entirely anonymously through a platform called Gather, which allows users to utilize pseudonyms instead of their real names. The program includes a combination of interactions between students, facilitators, organizers and counsellors, as well as infographics related to mental health issues to raise awareness of these problems among everyone. I gained inspiration to initiate this programme after witnessing a close friend struggle with mental health issues. This experience changed my perspective on mental health and made me realize its importance. Additionally, I learned from the counsellors that the number of university students seeking help at psychiatric hospitals has been on the rise.
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 51 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 At the outset, I faced the major challenge of being unsure of how to start developing the programme. Despite having the concept and idea, I lacked direction on where to begin. Fortunately, I received assistance from a good friend who helped me develop a draft of the programme. This enabled me to further develop a comprehensive plan for the programme. It was especially challenging since it was the first of its kind to gamify mental health education. The programme has two main objectives: creating a platform and designing posters centered around the topic of mental health. The platform consists of four components: HUB, Support Group, Meetings with Counsellors, and Games (which are not the primary focus of the program). Regarding the posters, the plan was to have weekly postings, but due to a shortage of staff in multimedia development, we could only manage to release one infographic every 1 to 2 weeks. To divide the workload, I gave my team the freedom to choose which aspect of the programme they wanted to work on and encouraged them to use their creativity in developing the platform. Setting up the platform for the programme: https://www.instagram.com/p/Clnz 4mTJ5Vz/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 52 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 The final area is Games, and it does not have specific or rigorous guidelines because it is not the programme's main focus. The only guideline for this area is to create as many games as possible. Each area is interconnected, with the hub serving as a link between all program- related areas, and all other areas being linked to the hub. The second set of guidelines pertains to the Support Group space, which must have a minimum of three private rooms that allow only the people in the same room to listen to each other, while those outside cannot hear. This requirement is necessary since the Support Group space only serves to provide a platform for students to meet each other anonymously to discuss various topics or share their inner problems, while also listening to others' opinions. The third guideline pertains to the Meeting with Counselors space, which must have individual private rooms for each participating counsellor. Two counsellors are currently involved in the programme, but four rooms have been created to accommodate any additional counsellors who may join the programme in the future. 3rd guideline: 2nd guideline: Final guideline: During the development phase of this program, there are certain guidelines or essential components that must be included in every platform or space. The first and most crucial guideline is the HUB, which is the initial space that participants will encounter. It must be visually appealing with paths connecting it to other spaces, so that participants can navigate effortlessly across spaces with the hub as an intermediary. The hub makes it easier for users to access different areas in the platform without having to go through multiple links. As per the guidelines, the HUB must have four sections, including a login page, and three other sections that lead to crucial spaces within the programme: Support Group, Meeting with Counsellors, and Games. 1st guideline:
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 53 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 Prior to launching the program, we conducted beta testing and promotional activities. As we collaborated with the Career and Counseling Unit, we had the opportunity to promote our program during another mental health-related event called Healing Hours. We established a booth and introduced our platform to potential participants. Those who expressed interest in joining the program were required to join our participants’ Telegram group. The timeframe for creating the platform/spaces was set to four weeks to provide ample time for the team to work in a creative environment without feeling pressured. The decision was made considering the team's busy schedule as students, with limited time available to work on the platform, only on weekends. The extended duration allowed for the platform/spaces to be designed to the best of their abilities. The timeframe Promoting the programme and searching for beta testers: Running the programme: At present, the program is not fully complete as the platform is still in the process of development. Therefore, it is not feasible to fully run the program yet. Due to that, the program has only been run twice for beta testing and trial purposes. Firstly, the beta testing phase was conducted to familiarize the participants with the new program platform. Since the platform is relatively new, we limited the number of participants to 10 per session. However, due to some participants being unable to join, only three sessions were held. The beta testing sessions were held on Saturday (3/11/2022), Sunday (4/11/2022), and on Sunday (4/11/2022) for a total of three hours. The beta testing went smoothly and the participants were given E- Activity for each session they attended.
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 54 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 Next, during the second run of the program, which was the trial period, a lot of people participated including the developers, counsellors, and counsellor trainees who acted as facilitators for the programme. The developers were tasked with managing the spaces during the program and removing anyone who violated the rules or disrupted the programme's flow. Meanwhile, the counsellor trainees led the discussions in the Support Group sessions based on the given topic. If there were no developers available during a session, it would be cancelled to ensure that any issues could be quickly addressed by the developers. We used Excel to create the schedule, and facilitators were responsible for indicating their availability by filling in their names. Only a maximum of two facilitators were allowed per session. Overall, the Support Group sessions ran smoothly during the trial period. Given all of these considerations, we had to make a schedule for the trial period since many people were involved. After consulting with the counsellors and some members of our team, we decided to hold the trial period for two weeks, specifically on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. There were three sessions per day: in the morning, afternoon, and evening, which started at 10:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m., and 8:30 p.m. respectively, and each session lasted for two hours. The schedule varied each day; for instance, on Thursdays, sessions were held in the evening because it was a weekday, while on Fridays, sessions were held in the afternoon and evening. Lastly, on Saturdays, sessions were held in the morning, afternoon, and evening. The scheduling of these sessions depended on the availability of the developers to manage the platform. Next, regarding the Meeting with Counsellors space, it is only available when the counsellors are present. Typically, the counsellors will participate in the Support Group sessions to provide their insights based on the topic discussed. Once the session is over, students who wish to have a private meeting with the counsellors will be taken to the Meeting with Counselors space.
During the course of the programme, several issues arose, mainly behind the scene during the development process and luckily not in the foreground. One significant drawback was some team members wanted to withdraw from the programme, which required finding replacements and caused the programme to fall behind schedule. As a result, there were not enough people to create the scheduled weekly infographics. Fortunately, Mr. Azli provided assistance by introducing capable individuals who created beautiful posters. Another issue was that the program did not run as intended, which was partly due to my difficulty in delegating tasks to team members, resulting in a significant burden on myself. To sum up, from my point of view, the ‘Anonymous Outreach’ programme has a lot of great potentials to make significant impact on students at UiTM Pulau Pinang. This programme provides a comfortable space for students to discuss mental health issues and learn how to cope with them. It allows for open expression of opinions and the opportunity to learn from others. Despite some setbacks due to issues with team members, I was fortunate to have the rest of the team of dedicated and talented individuals who contributed to the programme's success. I hope that this program will continue in the upcoming semesters to support students in the future. Conclusion: Drawbacks: APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 55 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1
This amazing technique to help with our mental health was shared during the program. Let us dive into it! Grounding technique: APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 56 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1
ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLUB E-NEWSLETTER 2023 - ISSUE 1 Section - Poems by Aspiring Poets English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 57 In this section, we have received a few poems about mental health from talented students that we would like to share. All of these poems share a great lesson from which we are all able to learn the importance of understanding mental health. We hope that you can enjoy them as much as we do.
Poem TRUTH UNTOLD: A PERFECT GIRL'S LIFE NOR SAKINAH BINTI RADZUAN FACULTY OF PHARMACY Feeling trapped inside my walls Made them myself Cause I thought it's the trend Worries too much cause no one else did I wanna live theirlife They better not say "I understand you" Cause best believe only I know me I got two faces but no one everrealizes I crave attention cause I once lack them I am the poison to myself Hate is such a scary adjective Can't stand it Stressed out just by the sight of it Follows the norm cause wanna feel included Not like them cause I put up my own fence Lost myself after my glorious year Did lost it once but I picked it up But already forgot how to APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 58 Section - Poems by Aspiring Poets English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 59 Others aren't like mine Don't blame her cause she's in vain too She ain't got no perfect life too Songs are there to erase the silence Distraction is what console me Living but not in the present Trying to, but can't find the way Wanna have someone to relate Seems possible yet isn'trealistic Selfish is lacking Self-love should be implement Worries should say goodbye Gotta step up and act Cause who will if not me, myself and I It's me against the world I'm fighting this war myself Silently inside, discreetly striving Happiness is what they call them Cause that's what they see Don't blame them That's the image I portrayed to be seen as likable Now Irealized no one got such a perfect life The world evolves not only around me They also got their hustle This never-ending fight lasts a lifetime For every person in this wide world To differ us from other creature To make us grow stronger Forthe better, neverthe contractile Accepting and improving are the best solutions
Home told me that they’ll neverleave they pledged to take my hands to the south and north to the east and west But home only remembers me as sadness and poignancy is hard to handle at the end of the day they discarded me the poems I wrote for home ended up in dustbin as unrequited poems so I only let the bin read them all for what I wrote will break home whole APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 60 Section - Poems by Aspiring Poets English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 Poem HOME NUR AINA SYASYA ARIFIN FACULTY OF EDUCATION, HUMANITIES & ART KOLEJ UNIVERSITI POLY-TECH MARA
Behind the curtain, behind the mask, Faking up a smile is now a task. Too much inside, but no one ask, Tell yourself it’s okay, and let it all pass. One was bright, Show no fright. But not in people’s sight, Cries at night. Choose to be quiet, Thinking it’s required. Finding days where there’s no tired, To get the dream that’s desired. At the end of the day, Mental health is no play. Hard work will pay. Everything will be okay. APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 61 Section - Poems by Aspiring Poets English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 Poem IT'S OKAY NUR LIYANA BINTI FAHARUDIN FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES
ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLUB E-NEWSLETTER 2023 - ISSUE 1 Section - Films and Songs Reviews English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 62
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 63 FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES TO THE BONE FILM REVIEW NUR HADIRAH BINTI MD HADRI "To The Bone" is a 2017 American drama film, written & directed by Marti Noxon which depicted the story of a girl suffering from a mental disorder, anorexia Mental health or mental diseases encompasses mental disorders, psychosocial disabilities, and other mental states linked with considerable suffering, impairment in functioning, or self-harm risk. Mental disorder is something that affects a person's ability to think, control his/her emotions, or function well. Mental illness such as depression and anxiety can impact school, job, family, and community life. Additionally, it can harm people and this requires attention. The film “To the Bone” is a story about Ellen, a 20-year-old patient who struggles with anorexia, an eating disorder that causes abnormal loss of the appetite for food. She spends much of her teens in several treatment programmes; instead of gaining weight, she loses each time. Determined to find a solution, her family sends her to a youth group home for teens run by a doctor who does not do things the usual way. There, Ellen faces strange rules which she has to figure out for herself how to face her addiction and try to accept herself. With a lot of moral support, she realises the importance of being healthy and the need to change herlife forthe better. Section - Films and Songs Reviews English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 64 I highly recommend this movie to everyone, especially to those who suffer similar health conditions like Ellen. The film highlights the importance of hard work and determination that one needs to put in orderto be healthy. I am reminded by the quote https://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-disordered-eating by Harriet Beecher Stowe,“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that thetide will turn.”“You justcan't beat the personwhowon't give up.” and Elbert Hubbard, “There is no failureexcept in no longertrying.” Section - Films and Songs Reviews English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1
DEADPOET SOCIETY "Between days" APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 65 Parents, sometimes, are the contributing factor to their children becoming depressed. Some children are full of passion, wanting to walk their paths unguided. Some are full of outstanding artistic skills for instance, acting, sketching and poetry writing but are forced to be shaped as a physician. The choice is ours to choose. Neil Perry, a character in “Dead Poets Society”, finds his passions in acting. He does not want to live as an untold story. Nonetheless, his father has harsh expectations and disregard of his emotions, feelings, dreams, and goals. This makes Neilrealise that he will never be able to make his own decisions. like you are the spectator of your own life or on an autopilot mode? Those days in between when you feel absolutely happy and you do not know how to come down or when it goes bad and you are numb to climb up. I am about to lay out my perspectives about depression and life. BY NUR ADLYN NAZURAH BINTI KAMSANI FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES Have youeverfelt Youmaynot wanttoadmititbut... People will never forget how you make them feel. This is portrayed in the friendship between Neil Perry and Todd Anderson. Todd is a shy and reserved lad who feels unnoticed and unloved by his parents compared to his brilliant scholarly brother. Neil influences his friends to break free from the tiring academic cycle. By befriending Neil, Todd realises there is more to life rather than being wrapped around the feeling of ‘never enough’. They sneak out into the woods late at night to sing and recite poetry. The story tells... Thebrilliant yettragic story of Neil Perry. FILM REVIEW Section - Films and Songs Reviews English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 66 Your plan is to stay where you are until years of pain and traumas are fully healed but the world knows you cannot not do it alone. Hence, God sends you someone to rely on. I know that depression is not just a heavy feeling but a constant impulse to unalive yourself and see a dark silhouette against your door frame. I know that ‘manic’ is a state when you close your eyelids and all you see is colours and feel lightheaded after crying in the toilet and see an unrecognizable reflection in the mirror. The phrase "you do you" - encourages people to follow their instincts and do what they believe to be right, enjoyable, or personality-suited. You might think there is no place for you to call home but little do you know that there might be someone whose eyes light-up when they see you not because of what you can provide or what they can benefit from you, but because of who you are. Someone who is suicidal do not really wish to die but hope the second they wake up, these unexplainable feelings would go away. It takes every bone in you to notrelapse. Section - Films and Songs Reviews English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 67 People say that life flashes before your eyes when death is nearing. Try to fall in love with everything, even the smallest thing - the smell of the coffee in the morning, freshly washed bed sheets and old books. Most people do not care what you have to say, they just wait for their turn to speak. Conversations feel like a collective monologue if you pay enough attention. The beauty that you see in others, nature, music and the little moments are reflections of who you are. Everyone has his/her own judgement and this makes him/her unique as a person. With your experience battling your own trainwreck thoughts, you know you are capable of helping others with your strength. I am not aiming for price or fame, but I write this to make me feel alive. I can feel the serotonin rush in my veins and ideas overflowing my head. I write this in the hope that people will read this and find their reasons to feel alive again. These are the words written for you to find your reasons to believe. When life turns to be pretty hard, watch this movie and rethink about those that are worth living for. Giving life one last try is worth trying for. Didyouknow... Conclusion “And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love: these are what we stay alive for.” ― Tom Schulman, Dead Poets Society Section - Films and Songs Reviews English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1
Song Review by Presence JUST HOLD ON "...I know about the feelings that you're feeling deep within And I know that sometimes all you want is the evidence That life gon' get better and that the pain fades away I know you're under the weather and wanna see brighter days I know that you're in a chapter you wish that you could erase I know that life gets hard and you've been losing faith And I know you feel like nobody cares And I know you feel like nobody's there But I swear that everything you're going through Is just gon' make you stronger But only if you can promise to Just hold on Don't lose control now Just hold on That pain gon' slow down" KAMALIN MASTURA BINTI SAIDIN Faculty of Pharmacy The song “Just Hold On” by Presence is a powerful and touching song that concerns the feeling of sorrow and hopelessness. This song is relatable to almost everyone - we feel sad due to depression, traumatic stress, losing loved ones and chronic pain and illness among others. The repeated phrase “just hold on” could mean to wait and pause until the feeling subside. In reality not taking any action to a deteriorating mental or emotional state will only worsen the condition to depression and suicidal thoughts. On a more positive note, “just hold on” can be also interpreted as to grasp or support something with one's hands or seeking life-saving methods. Talking to a trusted friend or getting professional help can lessen the burden one is carrying. Perhaps, only then, the pain is “gon slow down”. APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 68 Section - Films and Songs Reviews English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1